Columbia had a new helmet design in 2014, and Dartmouth had a new alternate design (both shown above).

Historical Helmets

BROWN

1960? - 1966

1967 - 1971

1972

*see note 1 below

1973 - 1977

1978

1979

1980

1981 - 1983

1984 - 1989

1990

1991 - 1993

1994 - 1996

2001 - 2003

1997 - 2000; 2004 - 2008

2009 -

I believe this to be a complete set of historical helmet designs for Brown for the period covered by this web site (1960 to present).

*1 It was reported to me earlier that the numerals on this helmet were apparently worn only on the left sides, with the right sides "blank", but I have received photographs from the 1962 game at Harvard that show Brown using numerals on both sides of the helmet. It was also reported previously that this design was in use in 1959, also, but a clear photograph from the 1959 Harvard at Brown game show no numerals on either side of the visible Brown helmets (though the two white stripes are present). The style of numerals may also have varied during the years when this design was in use - I have one rather blurry photograph that appears to show "block" numerals, as opposed to the more "rounded" style as depicted on this helmet image.

COLUMBIA

? - 1970

1977

1971 - 1976;1978 - 1979

1980 - 1981

1981

1982

*see note 1 below

1983 - 1984

1985

1986? - 1997

1998 - 2002

October 18, 2003

2003 - 2005

*see note 2 below

2006

2007 - 2012

2013

2014 -

Through most of the 1960s, Columbia used white helmets with a single light blue stripe, and with uniform numerals on the sides of the helmet in some dark color (probably black or blue). The side numerals were discarded by at least 1970, though during at least some games in 1970, the team wore numerals at the front of the helmet.

*1 In 1981, this design was worn only during the first game of the season (vs Penn); the lion decals were added the following week and used for the remainder of the season.

*2 This special design was worn during the 2003 home game against Penn, and was intended to resemble the helmets worn by the 1961 Columbia team which won the Ivy League championship that year.

CORNELL

? - 1966

1967 - 1975

1976

1978 - 1982

? - 2001

1983 - ?; 2002 - 2007

*see note 1 below

September 20, 2008

2008 - 2009

2010 -

*see note 2 below

I do not have much information for Cornell from the early 1960s, other than that the team apparently used white helmet shells during these years before switching to red in 1967. The first helmet shown above was in use around 1966.

*1 The 1977 helmet design was a variation of this one - below is a photograph of the 1977 version. I would appreciate a clearer photograph than this one.

*2 This design was used during the first game of the 2008 season (at Bucknell).

DARTMOUTH

1965 - 1982

1987 - 1998

(1983 - 1986)?;1999 - 2005

'A'

'B'

2006 -

2014 -

*see note 1 below

In 2014 Dartmouth used the last two helmet designs shown above in the following sequence: A-A-B; B-A-B; B-B-A; B.

During the early 1960s, Dartmouth was using white helmet shells with three stripes (green/white/green) and with uniform numerals of some unknown color (probably green or black) on the sides of the helmets.

Dartmouth's helmets from 1983 through 1986 were similar to the present helmet design, but I am not sure about the facemask color during those years (they were some dark color, probably either green or black).

*1 First worn October 4, 2014 (vs Penn).

HARVARD

c.1950s - 1960

1961 - 1963

1964 - 1971

1972 - 1973

1974

1975 - 1979

*see note 1 below

*see note 2 below

1980 - 1993

1994 - 2003

2004 - 2011 -

2012 -

*1 The text surrounding the "H" on the decal on this helmet reads: "1874-1974 THE REAL FOOTBALL CENTENNIAL"; this is in reference to a claim by Harvard to have participated in the first "real" college football game in 1874 (vs McGill, a Canadian college). The 1974 logo was apparently actually worn only on the right sides of the helmets, with the left sides left "blank".

*2 In 1975 and 1976 this logo was only (or usually) worn on the right side of each helmet, with the left side remaining "blank"; it was used on both sides of most helmets beginning in 1977. During at least some of the years (1975 - 1979) when this design was in use, an alternate version of the logo - without the white outline around the black oval-shape - was also in use. A couple of former players for Ivy League teams have reported that these decals were used simultaneously by various Harvard players, without regard to a uniform appearance for the team. It is unclear whether the "non-outlined" version was ever the more predominant one, though one person has reported that this was apparently the case in 1977. The thickness of the white outline may have also varied during the 1975 - 1979 period.

PENNSYLVANIA

? - 1961

? - 1963 - ?

1965 - 1970

1971 - 1978

1979 - 1980

1981 - 1991

1992 - 2003

2003

2004 - 2006

2007 -

During at least 1961, Penn was using blue helmets with white-red-white stripes, and white uniform numerals on the sides (see photo below). I would need a clearer photograph than this one in order to draw this helmet accurately. The 1963 design was similar to this, but without the numerals.

I have received an unconfirmed report that the team used a special helmet decal in 1976 commemorating the centennial of football at Penn - the alleged decal featured the numerals "1876 - 1976" inside a football-shape. I would appreciate photographs of any such helmet.

The photograph below was sent to me and is allegedly from the 1993 season and may show an alternate version of the script "Penn" logo with the interior of the "P" filled in with white; it was said to be from the early part of the season. An opposing team wearing green uniforms and white helmets is visible in the original photograph - Dartmouth was Penn's first opponent in 1993. However, I located video from this game which does not appear to show the rest of the team using this alternate version (go to 4:34 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTgOOAljQp4 ). Additional information would be appreciated.

PRINCETON

c.1950s? - 1968

1969

1970 - 1972

*see note 1 below

1974

1975 - 1977

1978

1979 - 1980

1981 - 1983

1984 - 1997

1998 - 2011

2012 -

*see note 2 below

*see note 2 below

*1 This design was in use by at least 1961, and probably much earlier. The 1969 helmet was similar to this one, but a special decal was worn on the sides - a football-shape containing the numerals "100", in recognition of the centennial of the first college football game, played between Princeton and Rutgers on November 6, 1869. I would appreciate a color photograph of the 1969 Princeton helmet.

*2 The current Princeton helmet design (and its predecessor) is based upon a design which originated at Princeton but is most often associated with its 60-plus year run at Michigan. Princeton Coach "Fritz" Crisler is credited with designing the "winged" helmet in 1935 with the intention of helping his quarterbacks detect their receivers downfield; most teams' helmets were bland and indistinguishable at that time, and Crisler's design was one of the first to bear some distinction. The triangular shapes are said to represent the folded-back ears of a tiger, while the three stripes imitate those on the animal's body. Although these features are purely ornamental on modern helmets, they coincided with physical features of the helmet during the 1930s. Crisler took the design with him to Michigan in 1938, and, as I understand it, Princeton ceased to use it at that same time. The design was resurrected in modern form for the 1998 season at Princeton.

YALE

c.late 1950s - 1963

1972

1973

*see note 1 below

*see note 2 below

*see note 2 below

1978

1966 - 1968; 1970 - 1971;1974 - 1977; 1979

1997 - 2011

1980 - 1996; 2012 -

In 1964 only, Yale used a small blue and white "bulldog head" decal, which is vaguely visible in the photograph here. I would appreciate any clear side-view photographs of this helmet, as well as a copy of the helmet logo itself. This is apparently the only helmet logo Yale has ever used aside from the various "Y" versions, and the decal used in 1969.

In 1969, Yale used a version of the "100" decal that many teams used that year. Yale's version was worn at the front of the helmet, rather than on the sides.

*1 In 1962 only, additional stripes were added to some players' helmets (or perhaps to all of them); the stripes were worn on either side of the middle blue stripe, and were colored according to each player's role on the team: green for the offensive unit, red for the defense, and yellow for "all-purpose" players. A Yale game program from this era lists a set of nicknames for these three units: "Commandos", "Apaches", and "Bulldogs", respectively.

*2 The "100" decal worn in 1972 recognized the centennial of football at Yale; it was replaced with a "101" the following year.